A DISTINCTIVE Manchester synagogue, built more than 70 years ago, is one of 30 places of worship in the North-West to benefit from a national package of repair grants.

Higher Crumpsall and Higher Broughton Synagogue, which was built in white stone as a focal point for the local Jewish community, is now showing signs of age and urgently needs work on a leaking roof.

Details of the grant from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund were announced at the synagogue, in Cheetham Hill Road, last week by Tim Wilkins, of English Heritage, with synagogue president Sholom Finn and Dr Sharman Kadish, Director of Jewish Heritage UK.

The synagogue will receive £130,000 to carry out the work on the building, which opened in 1928, and is one of the few synagogues in the whole of Manchester to keep alive the musical tradition of Hazanut cantorial singing.

The building was designed by Pendleton and Dickinson. Its distinctive east elevation in white stone includes lion head gargoyles which are believed to be unique in Britain as sculpted animal forms are highly unusual in Jewish art.

The project is among a series of listed religious buildings in the North-West, ranging from the synagogue to a rural parish church, and from North Cumbria to South Cheshire.

More than £3M of grant aid will be spent on much-needed work at Grade II buildings across the region under the repair grants scheme.

Malcolm Cooper, regional director of English Heritage, said: "This latest round of funding will pay for urgent repairs to some of Englan's most loved places of worship.

"One of our main priorities is to promote wider appreciation of such buildings and the grants announced today will not only help to secure the repair of many places of worship but will also provide guaranteed access for the public."